there was one other hurdle: money from washington. the best way to get federal dollars to flow to massachusetts was to reach out to his former rival ted kennedy. >> look, i wouldn't describe romney and senator kennedy as friends. but they were friendly during that period in the sense that they had a cordial relationship trying to get something done. >> narrator: and together they squeezed nearly $400 million out of the bush administration. on april 12, 2006, romney's health care legislation, romneycare, finally became law. massachusetts became the first state in the nation to have near universal health care. >> they devise this epic signing ceremony at faneuil hall in boston. and there is a fife and drum corps. >> narrator: it was in this same place that kennedy had destroyed young mitt romney in their first debate. >> of course, the last time i was on this stage with senator kennedy... (crowd laughing) this for me feels a bit like the titanic returning to visit the iceberg. >> narrator: it was mitt relaxed, relieved. >> my son said t